Remember those Moroccan-style stuffed baby eggplants from a few weeks ago? One of the things I loved most about them was that they sliced so nicely, holding together very well. I immediately thought, “wouldn’t a slice of stuffed eggplant with some of this spicy sauce be perfect on those little appy spoons I bought and haven’t used yet?” The proper term for one-bite hors d’oeuvres served on a tasting spoon is amuse bouche. But no one really knows what I’m talking about when I try to say that.

So I served them up at a bachelorette party I catered, as a little surprise. You may remember me polling you about about the menu a while back, but I never actually came back and told you the final plan! Here’s what we ended up making:

And that’s just what the hostess had picked out. As any good cook would, we wanted to show off a bit and give them more than what they were expecting. To break up the time between preparing courses, we served several amuse bouche, including the stuffed baby eggplant, pumpkin falafel with Israeli chopped salad and tahini-yogurt sauce, blood-orange sorbet to cleanse the palette, and warm pecorino with walnuts and honey.

“Appy spoons” might seem like another futile kitchen gadget, but there are so many possibilities for using them, and I guarantee they will impress people! The key is choosing little bites that can be prepared ahead of time, so you can just heat them up (if needed) and plop them right on the spoon.

Have you ever served or been served an amuse bouche? If so, what was it? If not, what would you dream up?

I've been served amuse bouche in many a restaurant but have never made one at home. I love the stuffed eggplant idea! And think the bachelorette party menu looks exciting and unusual.Those little spoons are perfect…and here's another idea someone did once for a bridal shower: they served them on a platter, dipped in melted chocolate with a ribbon and a little flower tied around the handles.

Cara, I've said it before but I'll say it again. I love to visit here. There is always something special to be found and these stuffed baby eggplants surely fit that bill. They look and sound spectacular. I have had amuse bouche. Two come to mind. One was a dressed quail egg and the other a gorgeous petite slice of gravlax on a bed of shaved vegetables.

The first time I heard the term "amuse bouche" was on honeymoon in St. Martin at a French restaurant. The waiter gave us pre-appetizer little glasses of a savory mousse. It wasn't on a spoon, but it was mighty tasty.Sidenote: I would have LOVED to have a bachelorette party like this. Sounds like so much fun! Can I have a do-over? 🙂

your food is a work of art, cara! wow so impressed!!!!not only the food itself, but the food photography which is it's own work of art.The last post w/ the tofu, loooks amazing and all your other tofu, the coconut lime, nugest, and sesame maple..wow. girl. You're a great tofu-er!xo

Wow, your menu sounds absolutely amazing – I wish I could have tried everything! And I love that you call them appy spoons – very cute. Eggplant is one of my favorites and I know I wouldn't be able to stop at one spoon… 🙂

GREAT idea for a nibble, cara! in fact, your whole menu sounds absolutely outstanding. i'm generally more of a dessert fan, so i don't make or eat a lot of appetizers (they take up valuable stomach space!). however, those spoons are adorable and the tasty stuff you put in them is definitely appealing!

Man, these look delicious. I love when restaurants give amuse bouche – it makes the meal so much more special. Great idea to do that – I'm sure your clients were impressed, and I'm sure any guests would be if you served them little bites in between courses. Very fancy 🙂

CaraI was salivating reading and looking at your event; every dish was making me salivate! In addition the idea you had of serving the eggplants as an amuse-bouche is a brilliant one! wow! very tasty and so so elegant! My!

HOLY SMOKES! I had no idea you catered?! Where have I been? But then again, I am NOT surprised. Geez, I need to have a party so I can hire you! You are really quite talented. Love the appy spoons! I think I had ceviche on some appy spoons in Miami a few years back. But then again, they might have been Asian soup spoons. Same idea though, right? But really, I am blown away! You are amazing! Do you have a website? Have I been living under a rock (actually, I have been quite busy lately…)? How did I not know this?

HOLY SMOKES! I had no idea you catered?! Where have I been? But then again, I am NOT surprised. Geez, I need to have a party so I can hire you! You are really quite talented. Love the appy spoons! I think I had ceviche on some appy spoons in Miami a few years back. But then again, they might have been Asian soup spoons. Same idea though, right? But really, I am blown away! You are amazing! Do you have a website? Have I been living under a rock (actually, I have been quite busy lately…)? How did I not know this?

Man, these look delicious. I love when restaurants give amuse bouche – it makes the meal so much more special. Great idea to do that – I'm sure your clients were impressed, and I'm sure any guests would be if you served them little bites in between courses. Very fancy 🙂

Wow, your menu sounds absolutely amazing – I wish I could have tried everything! And I love that you call them appy spoons – very cute. Eggplant is one of my favorites and I know I wouldn't be able to stop at one spoon… 🙂